Bulletin of the American Physical Society
Joint Spring 2016 Meeting of the Texas Sections of APS, AAPT, and Zone 13 of the SPS
Volume 61, Number 3
Thursday–Saturday, March 31–April 2 2016; Beaumont, Texas
Session B1: APS Session - Astronomy and Astrophysics |
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Chair: Heather Galloway, Texas State University, San Marcos Room: 206 |
Friday, April 1, 2016 10:30AM - 10:54AM |
B1.00001: A VLBI Study of the Jet in the Quasar 3C263 Invited Speaker: Austin Haas We report multi-frequency observations of the quasar 3C263 that were made with the NRAO VLBA from 2010 to 2014. These observations were compared to previous results over three decades from 1981 to 2010. The jet was studied by observing flux density outbursts to determine the kinematics of the components. The data from 2010 to 2014 suggest four superluminal jet components with velocity ranging from 4.0c to 5.6c, as well as one inner swinging component next to the core at 0.04c. The position angle of the swinging component varies by 15 degrees within 1 milliarcsecond from the core. These findings will be discussed in terms of relativistic jet models that incorporate time-variable direction of component ejection. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 10:54AM - 11:06AM |
B1.00002: Observations and Modeling of the New delta Scuti GSC 02087-02155 Ramses Gonzalez, Richard Olenick, Arthur Sweeney We report on observation of a potential new delta Scuti variable star, GSC 02087-02155, which was discovered in a data run of the STExTS project exoplanet search during a seven-week period the summer of 2012 in Pitkin, Colorado. The R band observations were made with a 200 mm astrograph f/1.5 stopped down to f/2.8. The 10,500 images were processed in the data pipeline and the light curves analyzed with Peranso. The candidate star is observed to have a pulsation amplitude of 0.020 mag with a fundamental period of 0.0910 d as well as exhibiting the Blazhko Effect.~The observations and analysis of the star as well as preliminary modeling will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 11:06AM - 11:18AM |
B1.00003: Photometric observations and modeling of the new W UMa binary USNO-B1.) 1163-0308203 Alex Henderson, Richard Olenick, Arthur Sweeney, Ramses Gonzales, Tommy Byrd We present R band observations for a newly discovery binary system USNO-B1.0 1163-0308203. The data was gathered as part of the STExTS project exoplanet search over the summer of 2015 and consisted of 8,535 images taken over 73 nights using a 152-mm f/1.5 astrograph with a 3$^{\mathrm{0}}$ FOV at the UNT Monroe Observatory. Data were remotely gathered using CCDNavigator3 and TeamViewer. The images were processed using Maxim DL and the light curves analyzed using Peranso. Modeling was done using the Wilson-Devinney (WD) code through PHOEBE. The eclipses in the new system were found to have a magnitude change from 11.6 to 12.1 and an orbital period of 0.518 days, categorizing it as a W UMa binary. The observations and modeling results will be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 11:18AM - 11:30AM |
B1.00004: Propagation of light in supernovae Samina Masood We study the propagation of light in a superdense medium and study the properties of light in different directions in supernovae. The electromagnetic properties of such media are different in different directions. We calculate the electric permittivity and magnetic permeability of superdense systems as a 4x4 matrix. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 11:30AM - 11:42AM |
B1.00005: Determining the Star Formation Histories of Dwarf Galaxies Jacqueline Dunn The star formation histories of 28 dwarf irregular galaxies that reside in differing local and global environments are investigated. Local environment is defined by the local galaxy number density, where high indicates at least one neighbor within 200 kpc and low indicates no known neighbors within 1 Mpc. Global environment is classified as either field or group / cluster. Dwarf irregular galaxies are ideal candidates for a study on the role of environment in galaxy evolution due to their shallow gravitational potentials. Spectral energy distribution models are generated by varying the rate of star formation and amplitude to replicate periodic burst and constant star formation rate scenarios. An analysis of the usefulness of global galaxy color in constraining the star formation history of a galaxy will also be presented. Model degeneracy will also be addressed. Of the 28 galaxies presented here, roughly half were well fit by one of the models. Periodic burst systems account for roughly half of those galaxies, with the remaining galaxies being better represented by continuously star forming systems. The star formation histories are uncorrelated with both local and global environmental classifications. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 11:42AM - 11:54AM |
B1.00006: Orders of Infinity Rodolfo Gonzalez II The current literature lacks a rigorous mathematical framework for the orders of infinity which Dr. Lionel D. Hewett implemented in his Time-Symmetric Cosmology model. Using orders of infinity, one can show that the only observable time-symmetric universe with a finite energy density that could be created from a single physical singularity is a flat space universe of zero curvature. Using an infinitesimal approach to calculus, one can define a first order infinity through taking reciprocals of infinitesimals. Similarly, a second order infinity is defined by taking the reciprocal of the product of two infinitesimals, and higher order infinities are obtained through the same process. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 11:54AM - 12:06PM |
B1.00007: Examining the Relationship between Magnetotail Stretching and Auroral Activity David Soward, Derric Edwards, Kevin Pham, Ramon Lopez The Sun is always emitting the solar wind, which carries a magnetic field; this is called the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). When the Z direction of the IMF transitions from positive to negative, this has an effect on the structure of the Earth's magnetosphere. One of these effects is that the magnetotail begins to stretch. We can use data from the geosynchronous GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) to observe a signature of magnetotail stretching. There is a possibility that magnetotail stretching enhances auroral activity, which can be measured using the auroral electrojet (AE) index. The AE index is a measure of magnetic activity in the auroral zone. We will determine if there is any correlation between magnetotail stretching and the AE index, and will present our results. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, April 1, 2016 12:06PM - 12:18PM |
B1.00008: Occurrence Time of Magnetotail Stretching After Sudden IMF Change Derric Edwards, David Soward, Kevin Pham, Ramon Lopez The Sun constantly emits the solar wind which carries the Sun's magnetic field; this is called the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We are looking for when the Z direction of the IMF transitions from positive to negative. Ideally, the solar wind parameters before and after should remain steady in order for us to isolate the transition event. When the IMF makes a transition to the negative direction, this has an effect on the structure of the Earth's magnetosphere. One of these effects is that the tail begins to stretch, which causes the current system to build up. Since it takes the system some finite amount of time to make a transition, we will show the average time that it takes for the tail to stretch after a transition occurs. We will use magnetic field data from the geosynchronous GOES satellite when it is on the Earth's night side or on the flanks between the day side and night side to find a signature of tail stretching. [Preview Abstract] |
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